Test The Ashes Fifth Test January 4-8 1000hrs @ The SCG

[allrighty]

Not to mention the bowler who got injured is a better batsman than half our top order.

Pissing in Neser's pocket since day one, bloke is class and should've had a hefty test career.

Agree, was not in the club though

 

[allrighty]

I reckon we could do worse than open with Boland and Neser tbh. Really rate Neser's technique, there's no real bunnies anymore but he's very balanced, keeps his head still, does a lot right.

5 FC tons top score 175 he is no mug.

 

[icyflakes]

Neser saying the arm was just a corky and the only reason he is bandaged up is to prevent swelling

I also love listening to Neser - he genuinely seems like such a happy bloke and really chuffed to get a chance to play for Australia.

'I thought I might surprise him': Neser

Australia paceman Michael Neser spoke about dismissing Joe Root, the medium-pace antics of Marnus Labuschagne and his role as a nightwatch batter on day two of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney

www.cricket.com.au

 

[grumbleguts]

WTF do you think the concept of Nightwatchman is about?

I mean seriously, it’s a strategy that’s 100 years old!

It’s not a reflection on Smith, it's a strategy designed to avoid losing an important wicket for zero result.

For chrissakes, grow up!

think you responded to the wrong person.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Head or Starc Man of the Series?

If Head tons up tomorrow I reckon I'd have to have him in front. Starc started great but has faded as the series has gone on

 

[Westend]

evens day test cricket for me...for both sides

thought the poms where odds on to get 450 plus....root batter fantastic

Good effort to bowl them out under 400...thought neser bowled well...and greenie bowled better than yesterday and was unlucky

Batting Head very good.....I want him to kick on and make a big daddy hundred tomorrow perfect conditions for him to do so

Weathers I thought looked okay but he has a major issue falling over with the ball pitched up...his spot is in danger come August

Labs was better proactive but still the same shit getting out never changes always nicks off behind the wicket on the up.....losing his wicket was at a poor time

Need to just bat tomorrow all day please

 

[ABAB]

lol, because a medium pacer cleaned up the tail? Did he actually bowl a good line instead of listening to Smith and bowling 6 bouncers an over…

Starc and Boland started with the 2nd new ball.

 

[ABAB]

Head or Starc Man of the Series?

If Head tons up tomorrow I reckon I'd have to have him in front. Starc started great but has faded as the series has gone on

Starc won us the first 2 Tests without Cummins, Lyon and Hazelwood.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Starc won us the first 2 Tests without Cummins, Lyon and Hazelwood.

Head made one of the all time hundreds in the first test, arguably had just as much of an impact

 

[grumbleguts]

They don’t really offer it to the players anymore anyway - you do get players complaining about it from time to time and the commentators said it was happening today. There was no discussion of it yesterday at all the umpires just took them off rapidly and called tea.

That's patently not true. Brook threw a baby tantrum and they went off.

 

[ABAB]

Head made one of the all time hundreds in the first test, arguably had just as much of an impact

You need to take 20 wickets to win, Starc was exceptional in the first 2 Tests without the big 3 and why we won 3-0.

 

[sherb]

5 FC tons top score 175 he is no mug.

Plus a f-c average of 28.

 

[A Pom]

The arm around wasn't that big of an issue, it was the little push at the end that was very poor

Are we seriously describing a tap on the shoulder as a 'push'...?

 

[icyflakes]

Head or Starc Man of the Series?

If Head tons up tomorrow I reckon I'd have to have him in front. Starc started great but has faded as the series has gone on

There's an argument that if we win this match, the most important of the best 3 (Starc, Head, Carey) in this match would get a shout. Starc has been awesome but has been (fairly, the guys carried the bowling attack all summer in his mid 30s) fading, Head won Perth and was a standout in Adelaide. Carey hasn't had the standout moments but his keeping at the stumps to pace has shocked the poms - it's genuinely ****ed with their gameplan in a way that doesn't show up against his name on the scoreboard. And I'd argue his keeping at the Gabba is an all timer for a wicketkeeper.

I know we'd never give POTS to a quiet performer like Carey but it would be awesome to see - the way he has disrupted the poms batting cannot be overstated. If it wasn't so stupidly hard to do, he has basically provided a blueprint to beating them.

 

[demondavey]

Yep, this could be the best series of cricket ever and next summer will have shit crowds comparatively. We've had BGT and The Ashes back to back, of course next year is going to be lower crowds.

And every ****ing moron is going to be trying to attribute it to other factors because you have to have a storyline.

Who have we got coming out next year?

 

[icyflakes]

Who have we got coming out next year?

NZ, a country that doesn't generally travel in large numbers (as you would think of with the poms), and not a country that Australia see as a massive rivalry. We will get fine crowds, but no crowds are gonna match BGT and Ashes back to back.

 

[Grumpyshades]

Are we seriously describing a tap on the shoulder as a 'push'...?

passive aggressive sooky macho crap

 

[demondavey]

Australia's day. Super bowling performance to start the morning. Persistence and patience backed up with good fielding. 8-180-odd today put us in the driver's seat when at the start of the day England could have ensured we could not win.

Root was very classy for them. Brook, like in Perth, played a very overrated innings. This time it happened to work. Stokes copping the DRS was gold and is more evidence why you pick the best keeper. Starc should buy Carey a beer for that one.

Weatherald has shown us he is not up to it. I doubt he will get a serious chance at a long innings in a last-innings chase, and his papers should be stamped.

Labuschagne, well, 48 is a "what could have been?" score but I am not going to hold a score of 48 against him. He really should not be in trouble for his spot.

Head has his eye in this series, in a major way. Another nice one by him and if he can tick over the required runs for a century tomorrow he should have player of the series locked up.

And a very good day for Neser. 4 with the ball and did his job diligently as nightwatchman. I doubt that hit to the arm would have caused much damage.

We should be targeting a score of 500+ from here, and maybe even aiming to not bat again. England's ragged bowling and disgraceful fielding should gift us another 60+ runs. I remain staggered at how poor their groundwork is, let alone their catching.

So, if I read between the lines on Weatherald then he is done? Who do we look at bringing in if that’s the case? Does Renshaw get another go?

I don’t think Green is up to it. He just isn’t test cricket standard. Short form cricket could be his preferred format.

Some decisions to make for next summer.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

Plus a f-c average of 28.

He's the best nightwatchman in terms of actual batting ability. Didn't really get troubled except for 1 play and miss and that ball that hit the elbow. The Poms would know he's capable because he plays county cricket in the winter over there and a few would have seen him bat.

 

[demondavey]

NZ, a country that doesn't generally travel in large numbers (as you would think of with the poms), and not a country that Australia see as a massive rivalry. We will get fine crowds, but no crowds are gonna match BGT and Ashes back to back.

I like when NZ come out. Hoping they really challenge us over here and it’s a great series.

 

[icyflakes]

I like when NZ come out. Hoping they really challenge us over here and it’s a great series.

I wish we had a better rivalry with NZ, we should be playing each other all the time, even if just for good practice.

 

[demondavey]

Not to mention the bowler who got injured is a better batsman than half our top order.

Pissing in Neser's pocket since day one, bloke is class and should've had a hefty test career.

Agree.

Love Neser. A really honest hard worker who should have been playing in front of Green.

 

[demondavey]

I wish we had a better rivalry with NZ, we should be playing each other all the time, even if just for good practice.

Agree. They’re great. Have been decent the last little while as well. Not really up to date on their test squad at the moment.

 

[sherb]

I wish we had a better rivalry with NZ, we should be playing each other all the time, even if just for good practice.

I think it was you I responded to about Australia's appalling treatment of New Zealand in the early days. We still don't play them often enough imo.

Did you see it?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Ooh feisty